Posted - 01/11/2014 : 15:00:49 Do you guys think that P.K Subban is a risky defense man. By risky i mean too dangerous like gives up the puck too much to be an elite defense man?

5 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)

Alex116

Posted - 01/13/2014 : 23:13:45

quote:Originally posted by JOSHUACANADA

For those who still question Karlsson's defensive ability, read a play by play or watch him play a whole game, not just the highlights which may show a defensive miscue. He is currently covering up the majority of the defensive miscue's Cowen is making in his sophomore season, in which Ottawa was thinking Cowen was becoming a bust. My strong opinion is Ottawa is trying to build market value for Cowen by playing him beside Karlsson to move him either at the trade deadline or in the next season. Cowen has been terrible.

Joshua.....I couldn't disagree more. EVERYTHING I read and hear, says that Karlsson is a defensive liability and is everything Subban is, yet worse! Let me clarify, he's better on the offensive side of things, but much worse defensively. It is this reason that I find it hard to believe the Sens would be playing anyone with him to showcase that person unless they're trying to make that guy look good in cases where he bails Karlsson out!

I've watched Karlsson just once this season (full game) but I'm not going off highlights either. I'm going off articles I've read and comments from media in the hockey world. Here's an article that was in the Ottawa Sun and a couple of key parts of it listed for those who don't wanna read the entire thing.......

But as the Senators have struggled defensively, so has Karlsson. He is minus-4 in his last two games, minus-2 on the season. He has made bad decisions that have resulted in odd-man rushes the wrong way. He has committed a number of glaring errors in his own end. Twice in the past half-dozen games he has allowed an opponent to step out from the corner to score — most recently, Philadelphia’s Kimmo Timonen, for the winner.

He has also taken considerable heat for his mistakes.

When he was an intermission guest on TV Tuesday, Karlsson was commended for a fine defensive play earlier in the game. He chuckled, and feigned surprise that something positive he did in that end of the ice would actually be noticed.

He’s a risk-taker, a gambler. And these days, he’s losing a few too many of his bets.

It mentions how he probably gets a pass from the coach rather than being blasted for his mistakes because the coaching staff knows that he's likely responsible for more wins than he is losses. THAT, describes the high risk / high reward thing to a T. However, it's not any sort of reason to claim he's even decent at the defensive end of the ice!!!

I get that you see him a lot, but I'm not kidding you when i say that EVERY time i hear his defensive game discussed on TV by a panel, a reporter, etc, it's never complimentary!

JOSHUACANADA

Posted - 01/13/2014 : 16:56:54 Based on his temper and lack of defensive commitment lots of people questioned his Norris win last year. To his credit for the last few months he has curbed his temper, but have you noticed he isn't in the top 2 for points anymore either. You take away his edge and tell him to play defense first and his points total drops. I will hand it to him though his commitment to defense first for the last few months is the reason he made the cut for the Olympics.

For those who still question Karlsson's defensive ability, read a play by play or watch him play a whole game, not just the highlights which may show a defensive miscue. He is currently covering up the majority of the defensive miscue's Cowen is making in his sophomore season, in which Ottawa was thinking Cowen was becoming a bust. My strong opinion is Ottawa is trying to build market value for Cowen by playing him beside Karlsson to move him either at the trade deadline or in the next season. Cowen has been terrible.

Guest7175

Posted - 01/13/2014 : 08:01:00 Subban is probably the more likely to steal the show the same way Doughty did in the past Olympics (barely making the team- ended up as our best overall player) than he is costing Canada as a liability.

People that think otherwise either never watch him play or are closet racists, the guy won the freaking Norris last season and has more experience playing on the big ice than practically anyone else on the team. I expect him to start as a 6th-7th defencemen but get lots of PP and for his role and ice time to steadily increase as the tournament progresses.

Statman

Posted - 01/12/2014 : 01:57:05 Gretzky used to lead the league in turnovers. As long as Subban is putting in more goals at the other end than he is giving up, I don't think it's a problem. High risk/high reward.

Alex116

Posted - 01/11/2014 : 21:41:43 Yes, there is some risk to his game. It's one of those risk=reward kind of things. I'd love for the Canucks to have this kid! I would have no problem taking the bad with the good! I have to assume this guy will only get better as far as the "bad" goes, and will be a better all around dman in a few years!

He's already won a Norris. He's made Team Canada. He's a top dman in the league. Basically, give away's or not, he's already "elite".

BTW, Karlsson is not exactly the best defensive dman in the league, if you get where I'm going with this? Hab fans will be loving this guy for years to come!